Control means of land vehicles



Dec.'l2, 1939. A. c. SAMPIETRO CONTROL MEANS OF LAND VEHICLES Filed March 8, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 e m m m amen... 12, 1939 2,183,283

UNITED. STATES Y PATENT 'OFFICE CONTROL MEANS OF LAND VEHICLES V Achille Charles Sampietro, London, England Application March 8, 1938, Serial No. 194,717

In Great Britain March 10, 1937 1': Claims. (01. 188-181 On land vehicles and waterand air-borne ve is provided with an inertia mass, such as a bathicles it is sometimes desirable to provide a mass tery, and which is adapted to be drawn by a vemovable relative to the vehicle for the purpose hicle having manually or foot controlled brakes. of efiecting, either directly, or, through a servo- Braking mechanism especially pp a to Such motor, a controlling operation on the vehicle, a trailer vehicle comprises a spring or equiva- 5 under the influence of the inertia of the mass or le'nt resilient means adapted to effect prelimiof the force of gravity. nary brake application and a controllable servo- An object of this invention is to provide an motor, such for example as an electro-magnetic improved controlling mechanism utilizing such device, adapted to strain said spring or equivaa mass. lent means and disengage the brakes.

Such vehicles are often provided with electrical The operative connection between the inertia equipment which includes an accumulator bat-- mass and the brakes may include a controllable tery forming a component part of the vehicle. clutch which is disengaged to facilitate disen- A further object of this invention is to provide gagement of the brakes.

l5 mechanism wherein such an accumulator bat- Where the invention is employed to operate tery forms a mass utilized in the control of the brakes on vehicles adapted to run normally in vehicle. The selection of the accumulator batboth directions, suchas rail vehicles, the operatery for this purpose has substantial advantages, tive connection between the inertia mass and since the battery is relatively heavy, and its the brakes may be so arranged that displaceweight remains substantially constant at all ment of the mass in either direction relative to go times. To this end the battery is so mounted as the vehicle frame is adapted to apply the brakes. to be displaceable relatively to the frame of the Other objects and advantages of the invention vehicle, and means serving for the control of the will be appa from the following d s p vehicle are operatively connected with the batwith reference to the accompanying diagramtery in such a manner that, on displacement matic drawing in'whichi of the battery in response to motion, or to change g- 1 is P View, Partly in o Of Pa t 'in the state of motion of the vehicle, the weight of the brake-actuatin me h n m on an to or the inertia of the battery can be employed to moble, actuate said control means. Fig. 2 is a side view oi a braking arrangement Another object is to provide improved braking for a railway vehicle, 80 mechanism for land vehicles wherein a mass is Fig. 3 is a view of part of the brake actuating employed to aflord a servo-braking efiect; and mechanism of a-trailer railway vehicle in one form of the invention the accumulator Figs. 4 and 5 are sections of clutches shown battery forming part of the electrical equipment in F g. 3, 1 of the vehicle is so mounted as to be displaceable Fig. 6 is an elevation of a brake control memg5 longitudinally of the frame of the vehicle, and ber of a locomotive for use with the vehlcle'of an operative connection between the battery and Fig. the vehicle brakes serves to employ the inertia Fig. '7 is a-diagram of stabilizing mechanism on of the battery toapply the brakes in response to an aircraft, and retardation of the vehicle. Fig. 8 isa section of a detail on the line' 8-8 40 When a road vehicle is braked, the load on the in Fig. 7. front wheels increases and the load on the rear In Fig. 1 is shown part of the chassis framewheels correspondingly decreases. The present of a four-wheeled road motor vehicle, including invention can conveniently be employed. to intwo longitudinal side members) and II and two v4:5 crease the ratio offront-wheel braking eflect to transverse members I2 and I3. Two master 4!! rear-wheel braking eflect as the retardation of brake cylinders and I5 are fixed to the memthe vehicle increases. ber III by a bracket I6. .The cylinder I5 is con- In applying this invention to the braking of nected by a duct I! tohydraulically-operated vehicles, the proportion of the braking efiort apfront-wheel brakes I8, and the cylinder I4 is plied under the direct control of the driver to connected by a duct I9 to similar rear-wheel 50 that applidby. the inertia of the mass must be brakes 20. The plungers 22 of the brake cylch that unstable braking conditions .do not inders are. provided with return springs 2I ;and arise. are coupled. by push rods 23 to a floatingbeanr The invention may be employed for the servo- 24. A pull rod 25., suitably guided in thebracket J operation 01' the brakes of a trailer vehicle which I6, is pivotally connected to this beam at 26.

An eye 21 on the front end of the rod 25 is engaged with a pin 28 on a crank arm 29 fixed to a brake control member in the form of a pedal 3| and to a brake shaft 38 journalled in the frame at 32 and 33.

An inertia mass, which is conveniently the starting and lighting battery 34 of the vehicle, is mounted in a carriage 35 which is displaceable longitudinally of the vehicle, being carried on rollers 36 running on rails 31 fixed to the frame members I2 and I3. The carriage 35 is pivotally connected by a link 38 to a transverse lever 39 pivoted about a vertical pin48 carried. by a bracket 4| fixed to the frame member l8. A link 42, connects the lever 39 to the floating beam 24, being coupled to the latter at a point between the connection of the pedal pull rod 25 and the push rod 23 of the frontbrake cylinder l5. The floating beam 24, or the transverse lever 39 or both may be provided with alternative pivotal points 24', 39', respectively, distributed along their length, for the attachment of the link 42. A shock-absorbing spring device 38a may be included in the link 38. A damping device, such as a hydraulic dash-pot 43, may be provided to check rebound of the battery.

Means may be provided for preventing the battery from moving unless pressure is exterted on the brake pedal. Thus the eye 21 of the pull rod 25 is elongated so as to provide lost motion between the crank 29 and this rod. A crank arm 44 is fixed to the brake cross shaft 38 and a tension spring 52 urges the crank 44 in such a direction as to, raise the pedal 3|. A rod 45-is pivotally connected to the crank 44 and guided in a fixed bracket 5|. A cam plate 46 fixed to the rod 45 has a cam slot 46a in which engages a pin 41 fixed to a locking bolt 48 slidable in a bracket 49 fixed to the frame member The bolt 48 is normally engaged with an eye 58 on the lever 39.

Initial depression of the brake pedal 3| rocks the cross shaft 38 far enough to cause the locking bolt 48 to be withdrawn from engagement with the lever 39, vso that the battery is free to move. At the same time the lost motion at the eye 21' is taken up. Further depression of the pedal causes the pull rod 25 to move forwardand to effect preliminary application of the brrakes in the usual manner, the initial'distribution of the braking eflfort between the front and back wheels being determined by the, position of the pivot 26 on the beam 24. However, immediately the brakes act to retard the vehicle, the

battery, owing to its inertia, tends to move in the direction of. the arrow A relatively to the frame. It thus imposes on the floating beam 24 an additional actuating force and increases the proportion of the total actuating force that is applied to the front brake cylinder I5. When the brake pedal 3| is released, the springs 2| cause the plungers 22 to move rearwards, returning the battery to the position shown. As the lever 39 approaches the normal position, the spring 52 causes the locking bolt-to be'urged inwards by the cam plate 46, and as soonas the eye 58 registers with this bolt the latter vis projected home, looking the battery against further movement.

The brake cylinders may be connected by a spring-loaded by-p'ass valve 53 arranged toopen automatically and bring the braking efforts on the front and back wheels to a predetermined ratio if the effort on the front wheels should rise to a dangerous value'owing to accidental circumstances.

In the braking arrangement shown in Fig. 2, which is applicable to the braking of a railcar, the inertia mass provides a servo efiect in both directions of travel of the vehicle. The primary brake shoes 68 are urged into the on position by springs 6| compressed respectively between the ends of a solenoid 64 and collars 62 fixed to solenoid plungers 63 which form the push rods for applying the shoes 68. The solenoid is pro- .vided with a plurality of windings. One end of each winding is'connectedto a common earth point 65 and the other ends are connected, by a multi-core cable 66, respectively to a plurality of arcuate contact strips 61a, 611), etc., of a.

controller 69. I

The inertia mass, which is here the battery I8 of the electrical equipment of the railcar, is movable longitudinally of the vehicle on rollers II and is connected by a rod." to the plunger 13 of a solenoid" adapted, when energized, to urge the battery towards, and to maintain it in the neutral position'shown. One end of the windings is earthed at 15, and the other end is connected by a conductor I6 to a contact stud 11 of the controller 69, which includes a conducting arm 18 connected by a conductor 19 with one terminal of the battery 18. The other terminal of the battery is earthed at 88.

A lever 8| is pivoted at 82 to a fixed bracket 83, and pins 84 and 85, fixed to the lever 8|, engage respectively in elongated eyes 86 and'\8'| in links 88 and 89 coupled to the battery 18. The upper end of the lever 8| is coupled by a link 98 to brake-hanger levers 9| actuating shoes 92, and the lower end of the lever 8| is coupled by a link 93 to brake-hanger levers 94 actuating shoes 95.

When the controller arm I8 is in the position shown, it is in contact with the stud 1] so that the" solenoid I4 is energized and the battery is held in the neutral position. The arm 18 is also in contact with all the strips 61a, 611), etc., so

that the solenoid 64 is fully energized. In this condition the solenoid 64 overcomes the force of the springs 6| and holds the brake shoes 68 off. 'If now the controller arm 18 is moved progressively clockwise while the vehicle is running, first it leaves the stud 11 so that the solenoid I4 is de-energized. .It then leaves the contact strip 610., and the excitation of the solenoid 64 is weakened sufiiciently to allow the springs to efiect preliminary brake application by applying the brake shoes 68. The vehicle is consequently retarded, and the inertia of the battery causes the link 88 to pull on the pin 84 if the vehicle is running from left to right, or the link 89 to push the pin if the vehicle is running the opposite way. In either case the lever BI is urged clockwise and effects servo .brake application by applying the brake shoes 92 and 95. As the controller arm 18 is moved further clockwise, the excitation of the solenoid 64 is progressively weakened and the braking eifect is correspond- -ingly increased. When the arm 18 is returned to the position shown, the solenoid 64 disengages the brake shoes 68, and the solenoid" returns the battery to the neutral position and disengages the brake shoes 92 and 95.-

Figs. 3 to 6 show an application of-the invention to a trailer coach of a train of vehicles. In Fig. 3 the inertia mass, which here also is conveniently. the lighting battery I88 of the trailer coach. is suspended by parallel Links Ill beam (not shown);

shoes are denoted respectively by I24 and I25.

from transverse pins m fixed to the coach under frame, a part of which is shown at I03. One of the links I0l hasan upwardly-extending arm I04 to the upper end of which is connected a toggle lever I05. .The lever I05 co-operates with a toggle lever I08 pivoted to a bracket I01 fixed to the frame member I03. A strong tension spring I08 is coupled between a lug I09 on the frame member I03 and thepivotal connection between the toggle levers I05 and I06, 50 as to urge the battery I00 to move in the direction of the arrow B relatively to the frame. An adjustable stop I I0 limits the movement. of the battery in the opposite direction.

The batteryis coupled by a link II I to a lever II2 adapted to be connected by an electro-magnetically-actuated friction clutch II4 to a cross shaft H3. The clutch II4 (Fig. 4) has an electro-magnet II5 keyed to the shaft H3 and a conical driven element II6 keyed to the boss 541 of the electro-magnet. The lever H2 is fixed to a conical driving element I.I1 of magnetic material, which is urged by a spring II8 into frictional engagement with the member II6. One end of .the exciting winding of the electro-magnet I I5 is earthed, and the other end is connected to a conductor H9. A two-armed .lever I20 is keyed to the shaft II 3 and pivotally connected to pull rods I2I and I22 leading respectively to the rear brake beam I23, and to the front brake The rear brake hangers and The battery is further coupled by a link I26 to a lever I21 adapted to be connected by an electro-magnetically-actuated friction clutch I28 to a. cross shaft I29. The clutch I28 (Fig. 5) has a conicalelectro-magnet I30-keyed to the shaft I29 anda conical driving element I3I' of magnetic material to which the lever I21 is fixed and which is urged by a spring I 32 out of friction engagement with the electro-magnet I30 and against an abutment I33. One end of the exciting winding of the electro-magnet I30 is earthe'd, and' the other end is confiected to a conductor I34. A worm wheel I 35 is keyed to the shaft I29 and engages a worm I36 on the shaft of an electric motor I31 which is capable of remaining continuously stalled under load without overheating. One end of the motor windings is earthed, and the other end is connected to a conductor I38; The conductor H9 is connected through the exciting winding of a contactor I48 and the contacts of a contactor I39 to one terminal of the-battery I00 the other terminal of which is earthed at I40. The conductors I34 and I38 are connected through the contacts of the contactor I 46 to the-first-mentioned terminal of the battery. The contactor I46 is provided with a dash-pot I41 which causes it to open with a delayed action. The contactor I39 forms the control member of the trailer brakes, and its energizing winding is connected in series in a train brake conductor I of an earth-retum circuit -including a brake controller on the locomotive. In this example this controller (Fig. 6) is a pedal- I42 provided with a pair of insulated normallyclosed contacts I43 connected respectively to the conductor HI and through a battery I44 to earth. One of the contacts I43 is mounted on a pivoted sole plate I45 so arranged that whenthe pedal is depressed the contacts open..

This system operates as follows. The vehicle is assumed to be running in the direction of the arrow B in Fig. 3. When the brakes are off, the trainbrake circuit is energized, since the contacts I43 (Fig.6) are closed, and the contactor I39 (Fig. 3) is therefore kept closed. The clutch H4 is energized and .kept disengaged, and the current flowing in the conductor II9 keeps the contactor I46 closed, so that the clutch I28 is energized and kept engaged and the motor I31 exerts a clockwise torque on the shaft I29. The battery I00 is consequently held against the stop IIO. depressed to apply the locomotive brakes, the contacts I43 open and de-energize the conductor When the locomotive brake pedal I42 is HI, opening the contactor I39, which causes the clutch I I4 to engage and thereafter the contactor I46 to open, de-energizingthe motor I31 and the clutch I28. Since the clutch I28 is now disengaged, the battery I00 is moved .to the right by the spring toggle linkage I04, I05, I06, I08. The shaft H3 is therefore urged anti-clockwise and the preliminary application of the trailer vehicle brakes isefiected through the lever I20. 'As soon as the vehicle undergoes retardation, the brakes become fully applied under'the joint influence When the drivers brake pedal is released, the

- contactor139'is re-energized, disengaging the I50 co-operating with a controlled tripping member on the track.

Figs-7 and 8 show an arrangement for automatically maintaining an aeroplane level in flight.

The aircrafts battery I60 is carried in a cradle I6I suspended from a frame member I62 byv a Hookes joint. A longitudinal shaft I63 is journalled in two .brackets I64 and I65 fixed to the member I62. The bracket I65 includes a hydraulic damper I66. To the shaft I63 is fixed a star-piece I61 in which are fixed two co-axial transverse stub shafts I 68 and I69 supporting the cradle I6I. A'hydraulic damper I10 checks relative movement of the cradle'I6I to the star piece I61. A pin I on the cradle is coupled by a link I12 to a reversing piston-valve I13 of, known type which controls the supply of liquid from a powerdriv'en pump I14 to a reversible hydraulic servomotor I15 controlling the elevators of the aircraft through elevator cables I86.

A horizontal crank arm 11s is fixed to the longitudinal shaft I63 and is coupled by a link I 11 to a reversing piston valve I 18 which controls the supply of liquid from the pump I14 to.

a reversible hydraulic servo-motor I19 controlling the ailerons, the aileron cable sockets being designated as I81. The pump is provided with a spring loaded by-pass valve I88 which returns of the spring I08 and the inertia of the battery the liquid to the reservoir I89 when both of the valves I13 and I18 are closed.

A controllable locking bolt I80, slidable in a frame member I82 can be engaged in an eye I8I on the battery cradle I6I to lock the battery in the neutral position, in which both piston valves are closed. In this condition banking and ele-' vation are controlled by a manual hydraulic control (not shown) connected to branch ducts is an auxiliary throttle valve I85 in the engine induction system.

I claim:

1. A vehicle comprising a frame, an accumulator battery forming part of the electrical equipment of said vehicle and displaceable relative to said frame, means operable for varying the state of motion of said vehicle, an operative connection between said battery and said means whereby displacement of said battery relative to said frame assists in varying the state of motion of the vehicle, and an operators control member normally restraining displacement of said battery relative to said fame and operable to permit displacement thereof relative to the frame.

2. A vehicle comprising a frame, an accumulator battery forming part of the electrical equipment of said vehicle and displaceable longitudinally of said frame, control means for varying the speed of said vehicle, an operative connection between said battery and said control means, whereby displacement of said battery relative to said frame assists in varying the speed of the vehicle, and an operators control member normally restraining displacement of the battery relative to the frame and operable to permit displacement thereof relative to the frame.

3. A land vehicle comprising a frame, vehicle brakes, an accumulator battery forming part of the electrical equipment of said vehicle and so mounted as to be displaceable longitudinally of said frame, an operative connection between said battery and said vehicle brakes, which serves to employ the inertia of the battery to apply the brakes in response to retardation of the vehicle, and an operator's control member normally restraining displacement of the battery relative to the frame and operable to permit displacement thereof relative to the frame.

4. In a land vehicle comprising a frame, frontwheel brakes, rear-wheel brakes, a brake con-' trol member having brake applied and brake released positions, an inertia mass so mounted as to be displaceable longitudinally of said frame, an operative connection between said inertia mass and said frontand rear-wheel brakes,

released positions, an accumulator battery form-- ing part of the electrical equipment thereof and so mounted as to be displaceable longitudinally of said frame, an operative connection between said battery and said frontand rear-wheel brakes, which serves to employ the inertia of said battery to increase the ratio of front-wheel braking effect to rear-wheel braking efiect responsive to retardation of the vehicle, and means actuated by said brake control member upon. movement thereof to its brake released position to restrain displacement of said battery relative to said frame, thereby to prevent inopportune application of the brakes by said battery.

6. A land vehiclecomprising a frame, frontwheel brakes having an actuating member, rearwheel brakes having an actuating member, a drivers control member, a floating member connecting said drivers control member to both of said actuating members and determining the ratio of front-wheel to rear-wheel braking effect on initial brake application by said drivers control member, an accumulator battery forming part of the electrical equipment of the vehicle and so mounted as to be displaceable longitudinally of said frame, and an operative connection between said battery and a point on said floating member so selected that the inertia of said battery, as the retardation of said vehicle increases, operates through said connection on said floating member to increase said ratio.

'7. A land vehicle comprising a frame, vehicle brakes, a brake control member operable for effecting preliminary brake application, an in-' means for connecting at least some of said brakes to said mass and employing the inertia of said mass, on retardation of said vehicle, to effect servo brake application, a servo-motor for urg-- ing said mass towards its neutral position and control means for said servo-motor, actuated by said brake control member.

9. A land vehicle comprising a frame, vehicle brakes, a brake control member operable for effecting preliminary brake application, an accumulator battery forming part of the electrical equipment of said vehicle and so mounted there in as to be displaceable longitudinally of said frame, an operative connection between said battery and at least some of said brakes whereby displacement of said battery upon retardation of said vehicle effects servo brake application, a' servo-motor mechanically connected with said battery, and a controller for said servo-motor, which is so actuated by said brake control member as to restore said battery to a neutral position when said control member is actuated to release said brakes.

10. A land vehicle comprising a frame, vehicle brakes, an inertia mass so mounted as to be capable of displacement longitudinally of said frame, an operative connection between said mass and at least some of said brakes, resilient means capable of applying at least some of said brakes, a servo-motor capable of opposing said resilient means and thereby releasing said last-mentioned brakes, and a brake control member for actuating said servo-motor.

11. A land vehicle comprising a frame, a vehicle brake, means including a disengageable clutch for applying said brake, an inertia mass operatively connected to said means and displaceable longitudinally of said frame, said inertia mass serving to apply said brake under the influence of retardation of said vehicle, and control means operable for disengaging said clutch and thereby releasing said brake.

12. A land vehicle comprising a frame, a vehicle brake, means including a disengageable clutch for actuating said brake, elastic biasing means operatively connected to said brake-actuating means and capable of effecting initial brake application, an inertia mass displaceable longitudinally of said frame and operatively connected to said brake-actuating means for effecting servo brake application under the influence of retardation of said vehicle, a servo-motor operatively associated with said biasing means, and a common control member for said clutch and said servo-motor, which, when operated in one sense disengages said clutch to release said brake and causes said servo-motor to strain said biasing means and thereby restore said inertia mass to a neutral position.

13. A land vehicle comprising a frame, a ve? hicle brake, means including a disengageable clutch for actuating said brake, an inertia mass displaceable longitudinally of said frame and operatively connected with said brake-actuating means for effecting servo brake application under the influence of retardation of said vehicle, a servo-motor connected to said inertia mass, and an interlocked control mechanism for said clutch and said servo-motor which when actuated in one sense first disengages said clutch and thereafter causes said servo-motor to restore said inertia mass to a neutral position.

14. In a train of vehicles, a vehicle comprising a frame, a vehicle brake, means including a disengageable clutch for actuating said brake, an accumulator battery forming part of the electrical equipment of said vehicle and displaceable longitudinally of said frame, said battery being operatively connected with said-brake-actuating means for effecting servo brake application under the influence of retardation of said train, and a relay which is operable for disengaging said clutch to release said brake and which is arranged to be remote controlled from another vehicle included in said train.

15. A land vehicle adapted to run normally in both directions and comprising a frame, an inertia mass displaceable longitudinally of said frame, a brake, an operative connection between said inertia mass and said brake for eflecting servo brake application under the influence of retardation of said vehicle in both directions, and a brake control member normally restraining displacement of said inertia mass during acceleration of said vehicle in both directions and operable by actuation to apply the brake to release said mass-to permit same to effect servo brake application.

16. A land vehicle comprising a frame, vehicle brakes, a brake control member, an accumulator battery forming part of the electrical equipment of said vehicle and displaceable Iongitudinally of said frame, and brake-actuating gear which includes an operative connection to said brake control member for effecting an initial variable braking effect, said brake-actuating gear also including an operative connection to said battery for effecting a servo braking eifect the magnitude of which is determined by the degree of energizing of said first-mentioned connection.

17. A vehicle comprising an accumulator battery which forms part of the electrical equipment thereof and which is so mounted as to be capable of displacement longitudinally in the frame of the vehicle in response to change of velocity of the vehicle in the vertical plane containing the longitudinal axis thereof, means including an operators control member for the control of such velocity, an operative connection between said battery and said control means for influencing said velocity in response to displacement of said battery caused by a change in said velocity, and means including said operator's control member for efiectively restraining movement of said battery at will.

ACHILLE CHARLES 

